Childress is an agricultural community with new technological investments
Childress has seen many changes in recent years. The former railroad town, named after the author of the Texas Declaration of Independence, is the county's agricultural epicenter and once had just a handful of small businesses and churches. But new technology has moved in, including wind and solar farms and a new 420-acre data center that will complete construction by late 2025. “Childress is the hub for all of the small towns within a 30-mile radius,” Mayor Cary Preston says. “We’re growing in ways we wouldn’t have expected 10 years ago.”
Family-style restaurants and rural retail
Most restaurants and storefronts are located around the northwestern end near the highway intersection. The Plaza Restaurant is a family-owned Mexican restaurant well-known for its crispy chile rellenos and fajita stir-fry, while beef brisket and baby back ribs can be picked up at Top Notch Texas BBQ. Daddy’s is a local repair shop that serves burgers and chicken tenders and does fried fish specials every Friday. The Justin Factory Store offers western wear and cowboy boots, and Ross Garden has been growing its own plants and flowers for over 30 years. Fast food restaurants, hotels and boutique stores are also found downtown. Local grocery stores include United Supermarkets and Walmart.
Ranch-style homes and fixer-uppers with acreage
Single-family homes are situated along city blocks north and south of the main highway. Ranch-style homes are well-shaded by large trees and have patchy lawns with metal roofs and chain-link fences. Many of the smaller fixer-uppers, which list between $60,000 and $120,000, were built between the '20s and '30s and have up to 1-acre lots with two-car garages. Moderate-sized homes will have four to five bedrooms and up to 5-acre lots with outdoor workshops and barns; these homes cost between $150,000 and $325,000. Shady Grove Home Apartments also manages around 80 rental units for low-income residents; rents range between $300 and $600 a month.
Golfing, rodeo and red-dirt racing
The crown jewel of outdoor recreation in Childress is the 60-acre Fair Park that sits on the northern edge of the city. Not only does the park have a public pool, playground and disc golf course, but it also has the Mashburn Event Center, where rodeo events and trade shows are held. “We like to have everyone and anyone,” Mayor Preston says. “There’s a lot of walking, hiking and camping in our area.” The 18-hole Stoney Ridge Golf Course is directly east of the town and has a pro shop and Grill On The Green restaurant. Childress also maintains an ATV park around 8 miles west where visitors ride their bikes and four-wheelers on red-dirt roads and trails.
A-rated schools in Childress ISD
The Childress Independent School District is among the top 10 highest-rated school districts in the state with an A on Niche. Childress Elementary is highly favored for its quality of teachers and earns an A, while Childress Junior High has a Gifted & Talented program and an A-minus. Childress High School has a 9-to-1 student-teacher ratio and an A.
Two highways that serve as the gateway to the Panhandle
With Highways 287 and 62 running through the community, Childress has earned the nickname of the “Gateway To The Panhandle.” “We’re halfway between Amarillo and Wichita Falls, and Childress is always a great stopping point for travelers,” Mayor Preston says. “We probably have well over a million vehicles come through a year.” Childress also has a municipal airport and a 24-hour medical center on the west side of the community.
Low water levels in Greenbelt Lake
The city gets its water supply from Greenbelt Lake, which was only 10% full in summer 2025. Residents are prohibited from watering their lawns as part of Stage 4 of the drought contingency plan. The Greenbelt Water Authority is building a new $18 million well field that is estimated to be completed in late 2026.
